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HKS to be reselected for Liverpool stadium

Liverpool Football Club is again expected to announce HKS as architect for its new 70,000-seat stadium.

The Texas-based practice unveiled its original plans last summer amid huge fanfare, but they were later scrapped after costs came in at £50 million more than expected.

Liverpool’s new owners ordered HKS to rethink the designs, and asked former club architect AFL to submit its own rival proposals.

However, according to the Liverpool Daily Post, sources close to owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett believe that HKS will land the lucrative project.

A source told the paper: ‘HKS have been chosen as the architect. The stadium is still the same sort of size.

‘The details remain pretty much the same, but they have found a more cost-effective way of doing it.’

The news follows an ongoing debacle at Liverpool FC, where the American owners have fallen foul of the Anfield faithful after lying about placing debt on the club, and admitting they had spoken to a replacement for the popular club manager Rafael Benitez.

It is hoped the announcement of the new stadium plans will appease fans, as Hicks and Gillett begin a charm offensive to win back support.

The club's tycoon owners are also expected to announce the successful bid to refinance a loan taken out last year when they bought the club.

It is believed the Royal Bank of Scotland and US investment bank Wachovia have given the green light to a £350 million loan, £60 million of which will go towards the first instalment of the stadium project.

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